Toshiba 3950

Captain Humble · « **on:** 8 Mar 2004, 07:09 am »

Bought the 3950 at Best Buy this afternoon. Price was $79 with an automatic $10 rebate at the register, so I paid $69.

Frye's Electronics has the 3950 priced at $59 but they were out of stock. Said they would have more soon. They also had the 4900. I tucked one under my arm and headed for the music. The selection of DVD-A was so small (I found 2 or 3) I put it back.

Regardless of the Redbook playback I will definetly replace my currnet Toshiba DVD player with the 3950 because it will display digital pictures from my camera.

WILL THIS WORK?
I'll install the 3950 in the morning and thought I'd try running the digital out to my Denon 3802 for H/T and the analog out to my Tempest preamp for 2 channel. It has H/T bypass, second pair of outs and remote. I'm hoping that this will allow me to use it for both 2 channel and H/T. What do y'all think?

Quote rosconey

Quote

this is fully burned in by now-i havent been able to turn it off.

rosconey, how long is the break-in period?

Thanks,
Jeff

rosconey · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 11:18 am »

breakin is about 20 hours-bass tightens up and sound stage enlarges-
enjoy

also i dont think you can hookup bolth ways at once (but you never know)

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 04:29 pm »

Quote

WILL THIS WORK?
I'll install the 3950 in the morning and thought I'd try running the digital out to my Denon 3802 for H/T and the analog out to my Tempest preamp for 2 channel. It has H/T bypass, second pair of outs and remote. I'm hoping that this will allow me to use it for both 2 channel and H/T. What do y'all think?

That is what I did when I had my systems "all in one". It should not only work, but the 2 channel analog "should" sound better unless the DAC in your receiver is better than the DAC in the Toshiba (which is possible).

It is much more direct than having an extra set of cables and circuits "in the line".

rosconey · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 04:34 pm »

kool -i didnt think you could use bolth outs at once-

John Casler · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: rosconey

kool -i didnt think you could use bolth outs at once-

Unless they have to be menu activated, they both should be "live" any time the unit is powered up. I am not specifically familiar with that unit.

BeeBop · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 07:05 pm »

Haven't got the 3950 but bought the Toshiba SD2815 CD/DVD 5 disc changer because it provided TOSLink and Coax digital out. Future Shop in Toronto wanted $C 170 for it, but they only had one display model left and they sold it to me for $C 130 + $30 for a 4 year extension on the warranty.

I am feeding the SD2815 TOSLink out through a Monarchy DIP to clean up jitter and then through an Ack! industries dAck! (well actually I got the black faceplate option so really it's a blAck! dAck!). The result is very pleasing. I am getting terrific detail, even with my mid-fi Rotel RX1050 2 channel receiver.

Andrew JC · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 08:20 pm »

Captin Humble, Can you confirm if the unit has both coax and optical connectors? Also have you used this player for video use? Thanks....andy

rosconey · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 08:26 pm »

3950 has digital coax and analog rca -no fibre optic

video is solid

Andrew JC · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 08:41 pm »

Thanks for the quick reply. I need the optical connection. From AA I take it the 3960 is a different animal. The search continues....

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #9 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 09:09 pm »

I just picked up a new one at the BB in Boulder, CO for $59.99. They had 3 display units out for sale. One priced at $59.99 and another without remote and manual for $49.99. When I asked the clerk about lowering the price on the displays, he said he couldn't because that $ 59.99 price was cost or what the employs can buy it for. I thought I got the last one, but as I was walking out to pay, I passed a display of about 40, neatly stacked in the aisle!

Captain Humble · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 09:29 pm »

I've run about 6 cds through the 3950. Sounds awesome.
Al Dimeola, Kiss My Axe track 3. About a minute into the track the thing jumps back to the beginning of track 1. Did this 3 times.

Put the disc in my Sony 5 disc changer no problem.
Put the disc in my several year old Toshiba DVD player no problem.
Put it back in the 3950 same thing, jumps back to tack 1.

Called support and all he could say is that the laser is having a problem reading the disc. No clue why. I thought I read a post by someone that the 3950 does a great job on old and scratched CDs. This CD is in very good condition so I assume I got a machine with something out of whack. On my way back to Best Buy to swap it out.

Very, very happy with the sound!!!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 09:40 pm »

Thought I'd move this to the 3950 thread. Mods have begun already >> http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/81792.html . But right out of the box....very good sounding for the money!

orthobiz · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 11:01 pm »

I bought mine through Amazon: 20 dollar rebate coupong available; 69 bucks for the unit with free shipping: total 49 dollars. It hasn't come yet.

On Amazon, several buyers noted that their unit didn't work, they sent it back, a few were unhappy and gave it one out of five stars. So in a way I'm not surprised that your unit is skipping tracks.

I have a Van Alstine modded 1987 Phillips CD player, has burnt out LED's but the thing has been a rock otherwise. If the transport on the 3950 is in question, is that something that you can swap out of, say, a used 563, and take advantage of the electronics of the 3950? (Can you tell I'm a newbie?)

And if you use the digital out and hook up a Scott-Nixon TubeDac, are you keeping some of the good sound of the 3950 and potentially improving on it?

biz

rosconey · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 11:10 pm »

i think i've played 3-4 hundred hours on mine because work is slow-one problem with dvd playback -lost in translation-but my other dvd had the same problem at the same time-it was a new dvd-
no problems with cd playback-
its a disposable unit ,for me its showed what a good cd can sound like-
now i have a solid starting point when this dies to work from-

Captain Humble · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Mar 2004, 11:45 pm »

Exchanged the 3950 for a new one and then bought a second one.

Unfortunetly the new one did the same thing. About 45 seconds into track 3 on Al D's "Kiss My Axe" it jumps back to the beginning of track one. D**n I really like that disc.

So far this is the only disc with a problem. Since Al D. plays fine on my old Toshiba and on my Sony, I can only conclude that the 3950 is a bit more finicky than other players I've had. The good news is that it sounds so much better than my other players I won't mind replacing a few discs.

Assuming no other major issues I've decided to mate one 3950 to my Tempest and perhaps add a SN TubeDac. If it will make this thing sound even better I'm ready to go for it. That should complete my 2 channel system. Time to spend less time researching and more time listening.

I'll tie the second 3950 to the TV & Denon for H/T duties and take great delight in the fact that we can view our photos on the TV instead of everyone huddling in my office to view them on my computer.

Since I've got tunes going most of the time I'll run the Sony 5 disc changer into the Denon for backgrond stuff and out by the pool. This will conserve the 2 channel front end for sessions when I'm in the sweet spot.

John, thanks for getting back to me on sharing one 3950 but I decided for $69 bucks why screw around. If I only run one player I'll wear it out in no time.

BradJudy · « **Reply #15 on:** 9 Mar 2004, 02:02 pm »

Quote from: sunshinedawg

I just picked up a new one at the BB in Boulder, CO for $59.99.

What BB in Boulder? Do you mean CC or SoundTrack?

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Mar 2004, 02:46 pm »

Quote from: BradJudy

Quote from: sunshinedawg
I just picked up a new one at the BB in Boulder, CO for $59.99.

What BB in Boulder? Do you mean CC or SoundTrack?

There is a BestBuy @ Flatiron Crossing which I think is technically in Boulder County.

BradJudy · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Mar 2004, 02:25 am »

Quote from: sunshinedawg

There is a BestBuy @ Flatiron Crossing which I think is technically in Boulder County.

Actually that would be the city and county of Broomfield. All of the Flatirons Crossing area is in Broomfield, hence why Boulder was ticked to lose the sales tax revenue to the 'new mall'. I'm thinking of going down there an picking one up too. They have my 563a for repairs at the moment and for $60 I wouldn't mind a substitute that can go into my second system.

Captain Humble · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Mar 2004, 06:48 am »

BradJudy,
Go for it.
For $60 you can't go wrong.
This thing is sounding so good that I've decided to defer my external DAC purchase until the upgrade bug bites again.

Thanks for the tip rosconey.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Mar 2004, 08:32 am »

Watch out Captain.....Rosco's look'in for a finders fee !!

Been playing track 3 ,"Kiss My Axe" on Al DiMeola's cd.....no problem with my 3950 or the cd. Do you have any other problem cd's ? I've played all kinds of music and all conditions of cd's ....not a problem with any. I've had this player since Saturday. >>> Toshiba #PL23901567 dated Sept. 2003 CY.